, 1887-12-20
EVENLY MATCHED.
Kilrain and Smith Have a
Terrific Encounter,
In Which the American Has
Some Advantage.
The Most Stubborn Contest of
This Generation.
Declared a Draw After One
Hundred and Six Rounds.
The Kllraln- Smith Fight.

LONDON, Dec. 10.-The international
contest between Jake Kilrain of Baltimore
and Jem Smith of England, for the dia-
mond belt and the championship of the
world, took place on the island of st.
Pierre, in the river Seine, France, to-day,
in the presence of about 100 persons.
G.. w. Smith, the referee, performed his
duties with satisfaction to all concerned.
Jem Smith was seconded by Jack Bald
ock and Jack Harper, and was attended
by Jem Howes and Dick Roberts.
Jake Kilrain was seconded by Charley
Mitchell and Ned Donnelly, and was at
tended by Charley Rowell, and Messrs.
Fleming and Harding acted as timekeep-
ers and umpires.
The fight was remarkable for the per.
sistent wrestling of the men. In the
fourth round Smith was knocked nearly
silly by a terrific smack on the ear. Though
Smith had the worst of the falls he fought
splendidly under great difficulties, and
was as fresh as Kilrain when darkness
stopped the fight at 4:45 p. IN.
One hundred and six rounds were
fought, lasting two and one-half hours.
The party left the Paris Rouen train at
the village of Borshieres, whence they
tramped across marshy lands to the river,
where there was a steam launch lying
alongside the bank. The party included
Lord deClifford, the marquis of Queens
bury; Sir Hugh Drummond, Hon. Mr..
launch took all hands on board and
where an excellent ring was pitched.
Kilrain fought at 1874 pounds and
Smith at $50 pounds. Smiths castor was
thrown into the ring and was immediate
ly followed by Kilrain's beaver. The
fight commenced at 2:lO p. m. 1t was a
lively and energetic battle for the first
three rounds. A quick give and take,
with close sparring. In the fourth Kill
rain got in, giving Smith a smash on the
ear which appeared to stun him. In wrest-
ling, which formed a feature of a number
of succeeding rounds. Smith was no
match for the American. He had the
worst of every fall, Kilrain each time
coming down heavily on his PROSTATE foe.
The fight was declared a draw. The
men reached Paris at a late hour tonight.
Betting was on Smith at the start,
verging to Kilrain later. In the eigh-
tenth round Kilrain hit Smith on the
ear, causing a swelling the size of an egg
and knocking him down. Kilrain's right
eye was closed. The fight varied until
the fifteenth round when Kilrain led until
the nineteenth, knocking down Smith
three times and being knocked down hip,-
self once. Smiths ear swelling burst to
his great relief.
After the nineteenth round Smiths
strength returned and he held his own.
He had the best of the fight in the last
six rounds, both men fighting as quickly
and as strongly as at the start.
The referee ordered that the fight be
resumed tomorrow, but later Smith and
Kilrain expressed mutual respect for each
other, swore eternal friendship, and agreed
to consider the fight a draw and pledged
each other to fight Sullivan.
The general opinion is that the fight
was the gamest heavyweight contest ofthis
generation. Smiths; second chose for
him a corner which would give Smith the
benefit of the fighting with his back to the
sun. which was shining brilliantly.
How this remarkable fight might have
terminated had it been fought to a finish
it is difficult to say. Kilrain undoubtedly
showed qualities that even his hackers
never dreamed of, and had rather the
best of the fight as hey got into the sec
ond hour. On the other hand, Smiths
determined rushes and indomitable pluck
over and over again raised the hopes of
hic hantnr5